Wrapping Up

Well, it's about time. This is the final update here. 

Recent years, it has been very time consuming for me to update on this blog. Social media, Facebook and Instagram, have been far more popular than blog formats and much easier and faster to update. And I understand that what majority of people expect, including myself. Also in my case, I want to keep my website: www.leftyanglerandflies.com up to date. Besides, this website is powerful enough to integrate everything from business information, fishing report, social media, to photo galleries. In fact I have just transferred all the important contents to my website. 

I also admit that my point of view have changed in the recent several years. Fishing and fly dressing have become more personal and intimate, hence I see that the fishing during the guide trips are clients' own personal fishing experience. Yes, I'm still using social media yet it's been brief and less often. I can't remember the last time I did selfie with trout (the most recently I caught a huge carp on the Bighorn, that definitely had to be selfie!!). 

Another reason would be that I've been getting more engagements in other platforms, which are getting popular on their own, than on this blog. There had been many readers, who even became my fishing clients, through these blogs both in English and Japanese. So this blog has served for me and now time for me to move on. 

I do not close down, per se. I'll leave it as it has been but no more updates. 

Thank you for your readership over the years. See you on other media or on the river!

2021 Season

Hello!! 

The 2020 season was not as grim as it had sounded. I was able to keep myself busy with guide trips. I just didn't have time to update here. I did some on Facebook and Instagram. Please follow me up over there!!

Well, 2021 is here. Things seem to look a bit brighter than the last year. It's about time to predict river flows for the season and I'm booking trips. But the first thing first, please stay healthy and positive. 

A couple of contingency protocols from 2020 continue:

• Booking/cancelling policy remains the same. As long as COVID is the reason and we have to cancel trips, there will be no cancelling fees. Again, there may be another pandemic that would restrict clients' travels and/or my outfitting operation. We remain flexible and most importantly keep in touch. 
• I again am not sure if I renew the Yellowstone National Park guide permission. Just FYI to clarify, I'm a Montana state licensed outfitter which is renewed and current. YNP is a different jurisdiction that requires a different application/permission. Please inquire. Jumping to the 2022, I WILL RENEW the permission for sure!!

Meanwhile, since the end of 2020 guide season, I've been working on a big project. It's coming along. Here's a glimpse............ I hope I can announce something soon!

COVID-19 Updates & The MUST PMD Pattern Trilogy

Howdy folks, it's been a while. I've been as busy as anybody else. I've been active on Facebook and Instagram and I have to admit this blog has been squeezed out somewhat.

COVID-19 Updated Regarding 2020 Guide Season
LEFTY ANGLER & FLIES' #1 Policy is STAY SAFE & HEALTHY!!
Yes, 2020 season is going to be a really tough one and may even affect following seasons.
Montana has been recording the lowest case of COVID-19 cases in US and fishing is open for residents and out-of-state visiting fishers.
On June 1st, 14-day self-quarantine mandate for visitors will be lifted.
So visiting fishers are ready to go fishing or take guide trips upon arrival.
Now is the time for plan trips to Montana and book guide trips, but I understand it's just difficult this year. As much as I want my clients to come back and new fishers to book trip with me, #1 Policy, I'd like you stay safe and healthy. As long as we stay healthy and keep battling this invisible enemy, Montana's rivers and trout will always be there for us.

As for fishing reports and predictions, it's middle of runoff now. Weather patterns through remainder of May and towards end of June will keep affecting flows on rivers and reservoirs. I guess it will be an average to low flow season on most rivers, compared to the past 3 seasons. But we can't guess summer weathers yet. Will it be hot, lots of 90+F days, or cool like last summer?

Then as for booking guide trips, it's certainly very welcome!
Through 2020 season, if COVID-19 issues persist, deposit will be FULLY REFUNDED, i.e., no cancellation fee, with reasonable advance notice.
Bottomline, contact me and stay in touch!

Regardless of what we are up to, trout and insects will do their annual cycles.
PMD hatch on Livingston's spring creeks is coming in less than a month!!
Here's how to tie my Hen Hackle Tip Spinner.
It's said to be THE BEST spinner pattern!! I didn't claim that I invented it. I was asked to tie. But somehow I may be tying differently from others would do.

As for YouTube videos, I started to spend time on editing. And I try to make them more instructional than before. With this pattern in mind, I made a trilogy video.











Even if we can't go fishing, we can still tie flies!!
Stay healthy and stay in touch!!

Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo

It's been a while that I do a proper blog post🎊
Back in January, we traveled to Boise, ID for Western Idaho Fly Tying Expo.
I've heard of this Expo from the audience at East Idaho Fly Tying Expo. It's held in January, apart from other Expos and a nice little show in the middle of winter.
This year, for the first time, I decided to visit as a demonstration fly tyer, author!, presenter, and a Whiting Farms Ambassador. It was about an 8-hour drive from Livingston. We did not have any troubles with snow and winter road conditions both ways.

Of course, my demonstrations were Atlantic Salmon Flies.

Day 1, I dressed an Ottawa (Captain Hale) on a giant hook😲

Day 2, I dressed a Sir Richard (GM Kelson). I'm really satisfied with this one😏

Then I had an opportunity to make a presentation regarding Livingston's spring creeks.

I had quite a huge audience👏👏👏

In coming spring, I will attend more Expos!! Stay tuned!!
My one & only Atlantic salmon fly could be yours😁

Here It Comes!!

Check out the newly created page above: Trout Foods & Flies For Livingston's Spring Creeks
Or might as well go straight to check out HERE and HERE.

2019 Summary

It's been quite a while to update here😶Lazy?......I can't deny. Busy?.....Yes with so many things.
I just wrote and released a year-end newsletter at my website: www.leftyanglerandflies.com
Please refer over there.
A lazy post? Perhaps...........😉
But as you can see, I had so much going on this fall and up until now that you understand. When I have one event/news at a time, I'll still try to update with a timely manner at here😎so stay tuned☝
Happy New Year🎉

Fall Fishing

At this point in early October, it seems the fall has had a very short life and the winter is showing itself............ Following is the reports from September. Yes I'm very behind. I was busy, involved in something else that I may announce later.

In September, there were a couple of over 90F days. Rest were mix of rain and clouds that made us feel some chills. Yes, it was indeed a fall.

In my note, it was a very rare "dry-fly double" on Yellowstone River.

I had one angler who wanted to pry Bighorn River.
This one was just longer than my hand, but with the totally odd shape. Definitely well-fed!!

Morning glory!!

 We fished for the remaining Trico!

From 90F days in Eastern MT, it was quite a change at Slough Creek in YNP!!
It was very slow in the morning. However, with our patience and perseverance, we had rising trout!!

The wrap up of his trip was on DePuy's Spring Creek. 

It was a midge day!!

 And the finale was this massive brown trout😲
Was this an early fall-runner or it happened to be there? Or hanging around through summer?

Let's see what October brings.
It's also time for me to work on Atlantic salmon flies.........💞

Bighorn River - Livin' The Dream 2019

Well, I survived the annual Bighorn trip and successfully got back home👏🎉
I came home with so many pictures and videos, of course many good memories and experiences. It'd better so because I spent half of August by camping and guiding😲
First I had to recover by resting my body and adjusting my mental set. Then I went through all the digital contents. After very time consuming effort and patience, I compiled the documentary👏🎊
Seeing is believing, enjoy the real & raw live actions🎥


Another brutal Bighorn trip on the book😎
The next main actor could be YOU😎

Floating Rivers

It feels like we're hitting the peak of summer. We're having upper 80F and 90F days, but this is only just past one week or two. It's been a cool summer, at least for my perspective and experience. Yellowstone River has been running in fair flows without many mud-plugs from up above. Float trip is going well.

Dry-fly fishing is the way to go!!

As seen behind, when clouds cover the sky, streamers can yield surprising results😲

And then................BIGHORN😎

Following is my scout trip for the upcoming BIIIIIIIG trip😏

This is the place to be🙋

I'd like to say this upfront; ALL the TROUT I caught in these two days were VERY VERY STRONG😲💪💪❗❗ I had very hard and, of course, enjoyable times to bring them in. 

 Not on purpose at all, a caddis flew into my water😅

Trout are very strong💪

 See what's out there😎

For those who are planning to come this summer, I'd like to offer you fair information.
There are LOTS OF TROUT to be caught❗❗ DO NOT listen to or believe in what someone talks about fish count/population survey. Besides as you can see in my pictures, water is running clear, flow has just come down to the ideal & preferable level for anglers, trout, and insects, and tremendous hatches are going on❗❗
That's all for now.
I'm sure the next post will be after the upcoming trip - perhaps in early September - only if I survive😬

PMD on Spring Creeks

These pictures are from late June to early July though PMD hatch is still going strong on Livingston's spring creeks. As it has been, this is the period that we've been longing for and that never disappoints guides and anglers.

Just as with the previous salmonfly report, PMD hatch was also affected by the strange weather. We had the cold week in the middle of June, with the snow on Summer Solstice, and that is usually when we start to see PMD hatches and, day by day, we observe it's getting constant and stabilizing. We did have PMD hatches but they came late in the day = 1pm, 3pm, 3:30,....... Finally when weather became summer-like, they started to hatch earlier = 12:30, 12:00, 11:30, 11AM, 10:30AM................. For my side of difficulty, it was very hard to set and produce lunch for the first couple of trips😓

Rest is the photo recollection with minimal narratives.
Insect photos must be useful for those who come and fish this summer and those who plan to come in the near future!!

I had one day to fish on my own😏

Neighbor fishers🦌 🦌

 Also note these critters start crawling along creeks🐜

I had another day to fish on my own😏

Finally dada was able to show a proper trout to the next generation fly-fisher, caught with his namesake: Sage rod and Skue's method😎

 Sometimes it's more than PMD😎

Sulphur

 Even during PMD time, never forget these little dudes😎

 And a very rare Sulphur emerger😲

Come and fish spring creeks this summer or the fall😉
If you can't make this year, plan for next year or near future😉